Workpiece supporting mechanism

Abstract

A workpiece supporting mechanism suitably usable in an exposure apparatus, is disclosed. The mechanism includes a workpiece supporting member which is provided with a displacement sensor such as a speed sensor or an acceleration sensor. A vibrator such as a piezoelectric device is added to the supporting member or a stage which supports the supporting member. Any vibration of the workpiece or the supporting member is detected by the displacement sensor and, in accordance with the detection, the vibrator is energized to cancel the vibration of the workpiece and the workpiece supporting member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for supporting a plate-like member, said device comprising: a supporting member for supporting the plate-like member;   a sensor mounted to said supporting member, for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said supporting member; and   displacement producing means, responsive to the signal from said sensor, for producing a displacement of said supporting member,   wherein said displacement producing means comprises driving means including a vibrator.   
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said supporting member. 
     
     
       3. A device for supporting a plate-like member, said device comprising: a supporting member for supporting the plate-like member;   a sensor mounted to said supporting member, for producing a signal corresponding to vibration of said supporting member;   displacement producing means, responsive to the signal from said sensor, for producing a displacement of said supporting member; and   supporting means for supporting said supporting member,   wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said supporting means.   
     
     
       4. A device for supporting a plate-like member, said device comprising: a supporting member for supporting the plate-like member;   a sensor mounted to said supporting member, for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said supporting member; and   displacement producing means, responsive to the signal from said sensor, for producing a displacement of said supporting member,   wherein said sensor comprises one of an acceleration sensor and a speed sensor.   
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 4, further comprising an amplifier for amplifying the signal from said sensor and for applying the amplified signal to said displacement producing means. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original to a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting the workpiece;   a stage for supporting said workpiece supporting means;   sensing means mounted to said workpiece supporting means; for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said workpiece supporting means; and   displacement producing means responsive to the signal from said sensing means, to produce a displacement of said workpiece supporting means,   wherein said displacement producing means comprises driving means including a vibrator.   
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said workpiece supporting means. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original to a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting the workpiece;   a stage for supporting said workpiece supporting means;   sensing means mounted to said workpiece supporting means, for producing a signal corresponding to vibration of said workpiece supporting means; and   displacement producing means responsive to the signal form said sensing means, to produce a displacement of said workpiece supporting means,   wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said stage.   
     
     
       9. An apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original to a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting the workpiece;   a stage for supporting said workpiece supporting means;   sensing means mounted to said workpiece supporting means, for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said workpiece supporting means; and   displacement producing means responsive to the signal from said sensing means, to produce a displacement of said workpiece supporting means,   wherein said sensing means comprises one of an acceleration sensor and a speed sensor.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an amplifier for amplifying the signal from said sensing means and for applying the amplified signal to said displacement producing means. 
     
     
       11. A device for supporting a plate-like member, comprising: a supporting member for supporting the plate-like member;   means for supporting said supporting member;   a first sensor mounted to said supporting member, for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said supporting member;   a second sensor mounted to said supporting means, for producing a signal corresponding to a displacement of said supporting means;   means for amplifying a difference between the signals from said first and second sensors; and   means, responsive to an output of said amplifying means, to produce a displacement in said supporting member.   
     
     
       12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said displacement producing means includes driving means having a vibrator. 
     
     
       13. A device according to claim 11, wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said supporting means. 
     
     
       14. A device according to claim 11, wherein said displacement producing means is mounted to said supporting member. 
     
     
       15. A device according to claim 11, further comprising phase shifting means for adjusting a phase of an output of said amplifying means and for applying the phase-adjusted output to said displacement producing means. 
     
     
       16. A device according to claim 11, further comprising filtering means for extracting a predetermined component, out of the output of said amplifying means. 
     
     
       17. An exposure method for transferring a pattern of an original to a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: detecting a displacement of the workpiece or of a supporting member supporting the workpiece;   discriminating whether or not the detected displacement is not greater than a predetermined tolerance set in relation to the exposure; and   executing the exposure after the detected displacement is discriminated as being not greater than the tolerance,   wherein the exposure is postponed while the detected displacement is discriminated as being greater than the tolerance, and until the displacement becomes not greater than the tolerance, and   wherein the displacement is represented by a/(2πf 0 ) 2  where a is an acceleration of the supporting member and f 0  is a natural frequency that dominates the vibration of the supporting member.   
     
     
       18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the tolerance is determined by a critical value concerning the amplitude, with which substantially no effect is applied to the exposure. 
     
     
       19. An exposure method for transferring, in sequence, a pattern of an original to difference portions of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: detecting a displacement of the workpiece or a supporting member supporting the workpiece, during the exposure;   discriminating whether the detected displacement is not greater than a tolerance determined in relation to the exposure; and   continuing the exposure as the detected displacement is discriminated as being not greater than the tolerance;   wherein the exposure of a current portion of the workpiece is stopped and the exposure of a next portion of the workpiece is initiated, as the detected displacement is discriminated as being greater than the tolerance, and   wherein the displacement is represented by a/2πf 0 ) 2  where a is an acceleration of the supporting member and f 0  is a natural frequency that dominates the vibration of the supporting member.   
     
     
       20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the tolerance is determined by a critical value concerning the amplitude with which substantially no effect is applied to the exposure. 
     
     
       21. An exposure method for transferring, in sequence, a pattern of an original to different portions of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: detecting a displacement of the workpiece or a supporting member supporting the workpiece, during the exposure;   discriminating whether the detected displacement is not greater than a tolerance determined in relation to the exposure;   continuing the exposure of a current portion of the workpiece, as the detected displacement is discriminated as being not greater than the tolerance; and   memorizing an address of such portion of the workpiece with respect to which the detected displacement is discriminated as being greater than the tolerance, and   wherein the displacement is represented by a/(2πf 0 ) 2  where a is an acceleration of the supporting member and f 0  is a natural frequency that dominates the vibration of the supporting member.   
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the tolerance is determined by a critical value concerning the amplitude with which substantially no effect is applied to the exposure. 
     
     
       23. A substrate supporting device comprising: a supporting member for supporting a substrate onto which a pattern is to be printed;   a detector for producing a signal corresponding to vibration of said supporting member; and   an actuator for suppressing the vibration of said supporting member, said actuator being controlled in accordance with the signal from said detector.   
     
     
       24. A device according to claim 23, further comprising a second detector and a second actuator, each of the detectors and each of the actuators being provided in pairs in relation to said supporting member. 
     
     
       25. A device according to claim 24, wherein said pairs of detectors and said pair of actuators respectively operate in different directions in relation to the vibration. 
     
     
       26. A substrate supporting device comprising: a supporting member for supporting a substrate onto which a pattern is to be printed;   a stage for supporting said supporting member;   a detector for detecting vibration of said supporting member; and   an actuator provided as a unit with said stage, for suppressing the vibration of said supporting member, said actuator acting on said supporting member to reduce the vibration of said supporting member detected by said detector.   
     
     
       27. A device according to claim 26, further comprising a second detector and a second actuator, each of the detectors and each of the actuators being provided in pairs in relation to said supporting member. 
     
     
       28. A device according to claim 27, wherein said pairs of detectors and said pairs of actuators respectively operate in different directions in relation to the vibration. 
     
     
       29. A substrate supporting device comprising: a first member for supporting a substrate onto which a pattern is to be printed;   a second member for supporting said first member;   a first detector for producing a first signal related to vibration of said first member;   a second detector for producing a second signal related to vibration of said second member; and   an actuator operable in accordance with the first and second signals from said first and second detectors, to suppress the vibration of said first member.   
     
     
       30. An exposure method comprising the steps of: detecting vibration of a supporting member which supports a substrate onto which a pattern is to be printed;   actuating a vibrator to suppress the vibration of the supporting member when the detected vibration is greater than a predetermined level; and   exposing the substrate to print the pattern thereon when the detected vibration is not greater than the predetermined level.